Gods and Goddesses
by Rakusa
Summary: It had been an attempt at analysing the different greek gods and goddesses but it turned into the story and myth of Selene and Endymion but my take on it.
1. Chapter 1

Gods and Goddesses

September 1st, 2007

AN: Just so you know and won't yell at me later, not all of the gods are the senshi. I changed them back into the Greek names for the most part. So Jupiter isn't Zeus, but rather Zoicite is. Makoto is Hera. Etcetera. Venus is Aphrodite. Luna is Luna. Artemis is Artemis, and Serenity is Selene. Ami is Hermes. SO, for the most part it's going to be easy to follow. Endymion is Endymion from the mythological tale, but I have my own story through him, a mix between silver millennium and Greek Myth. Please be aware, that during this chapter, I took an unexpected twist, that I wasn't even prepared to face until I wrote it by accident and went, ok, that's nice. Fyi none of these stories are completely accurate within this one fic… but bear with me, it's my own take on things.

Chapter 1 

_And so he slept, never knowing the face of the goddess who bestowed upon him at night. _

The war raged on as Endymion watched from his perch on the highest tree of the closest peak so that he was out of the way and yet had a clear view of everything that transpired. 

His garb was simple, for he was a simple man, a man who worked with the animals and ordered the slaves about but he was not rich. For him, a simple shepherd could amount to no amount of money and wasn't required to join in on the war, to fight. For he was still young, watching his father waste away to ensure bread on their table and keeping their slaves in line. 

His father had been required to fight, to prove his loyalty to the empire that was beginning to call itself Greece. Homer had named us such and by the love of the Gods, we were the great power, we were special and better than all else. 

Endymion's mother came out of the small house that he and his three sisters lived in along with their parents. "Endymion get down, it's no place for a young boy of your age to be watching from and besides, this war does not need to be viewed so you can scare your sisters with the details later!" 

Endymion hopped down. "But mamma, what if I watch but promise not to say a word to any of them?"

"You promise?" His mother repeated, whipping her flour coated hands on her dress. Endymion nodded. "Well…" She was about to give in and Endymion gave his most puppy-dog expression and reinforced his sentiments. 

"I give you my word on my honor of a man." He told her proudly and his mother looked down upon his five year old head and sighed and rested her hand on it.

"Very well." And as she turned and headed inside she laughed to herself about Endymion's determination to grow up.

Endymion turned back to the fighting and as far as he could tell, the man called Achilles was just shot in the foot. A loud groan was heard all the way up to Endymion and he watched in fascination as the man still continued to fight even though he was being brought down by several arrows in his chest which would have bounced off normally. Though he was as good as dead, he continued to fight for the cause, for his honor and his country.

Endymion was proud to call this man father.

As Endymion saw the final destruction of this man, he was at a strange peace as everything seemed to slow in motion. All the men on both sides were amazed by what transpired and were unsure of what to do next. Endymion had no feelings to shed, he did not know his father was dead, he could not grasp the concept, and yet he knew he should be saddened by the uneasy calm.

Suddenly.

A crack of thunder shook the sky above.

Endymion jerked his head upwards to see a bolt of lightning clear a path to Earth. And in its trail followed fog from the cloud but a faint outline of the giant gods above could be seen wielding and welding more weapons. Endymion watched the swing of Hephaestus' hammer and the following clank against metal. 

He could even see Hermes, her little winged feet gliding along the sky to bring the bolts to a tall man with long flowing white-blond hair. He could only guess it was Zeus. His face and form were not clearly visible but the presence of the god was felt deeply in Endymion's bones as one not to be disagreed with. 

The clouds seemed to part as a long, feminine leg came through the clouds and onto the ground. The leg did not come from the section that Zeus and the others were stationed, but the side where the moon was hidden by a wispy cloud. A skirt soon fell to the knee as if she was standing up from a seated position and it was only natural for it to be that high. 

A sweet voice with a strong undertone cut through the thickening crowd as battle regained it's speed and the crashing of thunder and lightning only added to the chaos. No one else seemed to see the gods but Endymion who was rooted to the spot. "Halt!"

All weapons dropped to the ground. "Who kills Achilles, son of my brother?"

All fingers point all directions and the goddess looked at them in disgust. "Who shot his heel?" All fingers moved to point at one man, who was stationed in a chariot. 

He seemed to have frozen in place and could not even breathe from the looks of it. Endymion watched in amazement as the goddess swept him up into her hand and raised him high. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Her breath moved the air and the flags flapped in agreement but the smell was sweet.

"I apologize for dishonoring you, oh great goddess, I had not know he was your nephew." He bowed his head. "Please take my life if it serves you best."

"I shall not but Apollo may, for it was his blood you shed. Just keep in mind, all of you, not to anger the gods, especially me, who watches over you at night." She settled him back down and turned to leave. "The next drop of blood shed on these fields, shall loose the war." She mentioned as she climbed back up into the night sky but as her foot dangled for a moment, she seemed to have noticed something and Endymion felt as if she was staring at him. As she finally disappeared into the night and the clouds moved aside from the moon, he felt a strange feeling sink into his bones as the wind passed and the light seemed to shine only on him.

The other gods slowly backed away as well. The two sides, not wishing to die any more tonight, took their leave of the battle field. Endymion couldn't see any of the gods' faces, and the only man he knew for sure who saw the powerful face had been a man on the opposite side.

Endymion looked back at his home before climbing down from the tree and chasing after the fleeting army.

It had been the start of his new life.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

But yet he saw her clearly in his dreams, her shape, her form, her touch, her feel, and her love.

Endymion's chase ended at the river banks to the north. There he saw that man who had been held by a goddess. He snuck closer to hear the conversation.

"She'd been gorgeous yes, but she was a goddess. There is no room for us in the goddess's life. Her brother will surely strike me in my sleep once dawn breaks."

"Aye, but what if he doesn't?"

They were heading back to their village, through the Trojan gates that separated the Athenian colony with that of the city of Troy.

Endymion didn't dare sneak in to the city, he'd have no way out again, and while in it, he'd be spotted for what he was, a child of Athens.

"She'll never set foot here again; I don't know what yer going on about. She only stopped the other gods from killing us for sport once we killed one of theirs."

Endymion didn't learn anything from that conversation and he walked away. Athena was their patron goddess, and he'd pray to her tonight.

Athena watched young Endymion walk away from the Trojan wall, glad he decided to use his head and his instincts instead of curiosity. But she had to go speak with Odysseus. She spoke to Odysseus on the south shore's rocky region away from his men.

She spotted Endymion sneaking into their camp to snitch some food for the evening. She returned to her conversation with Odysseus. "You may have a little passenger some day boarding your ship, you shall do nothing to him, you shall not even know he's there, for he has his own fate in line for him and he's only using your ship as a vessel to get there."

"A boy?" Odysseus looked around, but could not see Endymion. "What is a boy doing here? It is not very safe for him here."

"He shall be all right, I shall protect him, at least until you get back to Athens. He's here because the Trojans just killed his father and his mother and sisters will be fine without him, for he is the youngest."

"Achille's had a son?"

"Yes."

"Shall I get a chance to meet him?"

"Yes. However it is not his doing for fate, fate cannot control any actions or destiny, for you make up your own life. His life however will be taken out of his hands. What will you do about Troy?"

"Destroy it."

"How?" Athena questioned the brave man.

"We do not have support of the gods?"

"Nobody has complete support of any god, we do what we feel like when we feel like it." Athena rested her hand on Odysseus' shoulder. "We get bored easily, and so it is up to whomever to finish it. But I, Odysseus, I do not bore so quickly."

"Goddess of war, it has been several years we have fought, I would not think you do."

"It is my brother, Ares, who started it with throwing the apple into our room and it was Aphrodite who whispered into Helena's ear, you do not love him, you love Paris."

"Ares was bored?"

"Ares was, and so I must finish what he started." Athena perked up her darkened head and smiled. "And I must also go now, but you shall not win if you try to fight your way in."

"Why must you go?"

"There is a voice who wishes to speak to me."

"Take care, great goddess."

Her violet eyes slithered to him and she smiled. "Oh do not fret, for goddesses cannot die."

Athena appeared in front of him in a flash. He jerked from startle, for he had never before called upon a goddess to appear in front of him, he was not worthy.

"Goddess Athena."

"Why now, do you call upon me and tear me from my meeting with a new hero in your midst?"

"I have beseeched your help."

"How may I help you child?"

"I wish I knew what to do, for I shall not go back to my home, I had tired of that place and yet am too young to work else where."

"You shall follow your heart, what does it tell you?"

"To follow the great Odysseus in my father's place."

"Perhaps not in his place, do you not agree?"

"To join the ranks and then disband my commission after we return to the shores of a homeland I have never before seen?"

"Precisely." Athena clasped Endymion's shoulder. "You would do well to follow your heart young man."

"Thank you goddess, I had not meant to tear you away from greatness."

"I only come to greatness, for greatness follows greatness." Athena did not allow him to bow. "You shall retain your humble spirit but learn how to lead armies, young sir. For you are destined to be great."

"I shall for the goddesses' in my life." He pledged.

"And you shall no longer nick food from plates but have your own."

"May you go in strength, dear goddess."

"And may you never loose your charm." She patted his head and disappeared just as suddenly.

Endymion watched her go, and sighed, goddesses were really quite gorgeous. It took his young breath away. It wouldn't be the last time he conversed with a goddess.

Endymion snuck back down to the shore where he overheard the plans for the rest of the night. All but two ships would be destroyed, one was to take men away, back to the homeland. Endymion was tempted to join that ship, but he didn't. Another was to take a small fleet of men and hide out in the cove on the other side of the island. While the rest of the men would build the giant horse used for a peace offering and hide in it until the men of Troy went to sleep.

The one hiding would be there until dawn then come back around to pick up the wining soldiers, those who had not died. Endymion did not see how this would be unnoticed by the gods, but he accepted the fact that he wouldn't be in the fighting fleet. He'd join those hiding out, and become but a shadow to those of Odysseus' men.

He snuck down to the wares and boarded a plank into the ship's lower region while the captain was arguing with Odysseus about leaving.

Eventually the captain agreed and boarded the one that would not require any longer length of stay here. But both the ships waited as the others were demolished and taken apart to be rebuilt into a giant horse with wheels. Many men climbed in and didn't come out again, one of which was Odysseus. The remaining men boarded the remaining two ships. They took sail, each in the same direction until the island was out of sight, then Endymion's ship careened away and made a back pass to the other side of the island.

He wasn't able to watch as the Trojan men came to check out their victory gift, or watch the seer get eaten by the monster in the water, or watch as they brought the gift horse into their troughs'. Or even to see the men slide out of the horse and slaughter every member of opposition as they lay sleeping.

All he remembered from the time he fell asleep to waking, was the trip to the other side, and then men cheering as they walked on board, blood and sweat dripping from every pore. He was fascinated at the sight of victory from his people against those who oppressed him earlier.

He got first glimpse of Odysseus in that light, as he relished his victory for his country and comrades. The man looked strong and powerful, and young. Endymion wished with every fiber of his being to be like him some day, a wish that wouldn't be missed by too many watchful gods and goddesses ears.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_He would live forever beside her, for as long as she lived, but she could not die._

Odysseus underwent many trials to get back home. Every time a strange force would not allow Endymion to leave the ships' confines for the dangerous expeditions. Every time Endymion had to watch as the men all left and came back to get drunk, and every time there's be less that came back.

There had been one occasion where Endymion was allowed to leave the ship and it was when they were on the island for many years, the ship could not move and as soon as he'd entered the hall, he'd been turned into a young sheep. There he watched his hero get seduced for many years until the hero awoke to the fact that he'd been in a trance.

Several years passed and yet they hadn't gotten any older. Not on that island at any rate.

Endymion had grown though, from six to seven, then seven to eight. He had no idea how much time he had actually been away from home, while everyone else grew. He'd learned a lot about poetry and Greek and philosophy and many other subjects in his limbo.

Things were changing in the outside world, but he got caught up in his information before he even turned eight. It was one uneventful day when he looked out onto the water and it had changed before his very eyes.

No longer was it the sea-blue-green of the travel, but it was a deep almost purple blue and fog wafted across its surface.

The ship jerked in order to avoid the rocky out cropping, yet there was no land near by. They passed in between two cliffs and barely managed to miss it before it came crashing together. The ship was torn from limb to limb, plank by plank. Thrashed and jerked on the deceptive water and they fell, fell for such a long time and Endymion closed his eyes, trying not to count the seconds it took before he'd die against the sure to be jagged rocks at the bottom and for what was surely to be a hard impact against water.

Water sprayed at his face, making him cough. It soaked him, it tore at his clothes and pushed at him and pulled. It was harsh, like the wind had kicked it up for the pure pleasure in cutting his skin. And then, there was nothing.

No feelings or sensations, just there. Just peace.

Then there was a soft feeling being pressed up against him, like warm arms embracing him. But then they were gone as well. The feeling of hard ground and pebbles pushing into him replaced it. And a coarse wet material ran across his face and he opened his eyes to what he had been herding all his life as a Sheppard. A sheep stood there licking his face, gaining his attention.

He pushed it away gently to sit up and looked around at his surroundings. He was in the throughs of several sheep, dozens of them and he feared he was back home, that this whole adventure had been just a dream.

But the rocky shoreline with waves crashing against them told a different story and he knew he was nowhere where he'd been before. Was he finally on Athens?

"Aye, you there!" A voice called to him and the simple white tunic spoke for itself, he was on Athens.

"Yes sir!" Endymion scrambled to his feet.

"What are you doing here?" The man demanded.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir, I must have stumbled in and dozed off, I feel like I've been through a shipwreck." It was exactly on its mark and the guy looked at him closer.

"I do believe you were, from the looks of you. A brown tunic, really?" He shook his head. "All right, come along, my wife will get you cleaned up, you sorry excuse for a lad." Endymion followed the old herder back to his home and the wife did clean him up, as well as made him a fine meal. Endymion ate his fill.

"Thank you." He thanked the old couple. "I must be off, Odysseus shall be back soon, and he'll want to make his mark known."

"Odysseus, posh, he'd never be back in time for the competition, he's dead. You really did hit your head, didn't you lad?"

"Well yes then, I shall go watch this competition. Which way is it?"

"At the palace." He was sent in the right direction and he followed the road to the palace and saw a man dressed in an old tunic and cover enter the palace, he followed close behind, knowing exactly who the man was. Nobody else seemed to notice them however.

The competition lasted all day and night. Apparently it was for the wife's hand in marriage to gain the kingdom. Although she did have a son who was almost old enough to take the throne himself. He couldn't understand why Odysseus didn't show himself right away, but figured it out when everyone tried their hand at the test, and he was the last one. They jeered, thinking he was old, feeble and weak. But he strung the bow quickly and shot through the eyes of the handles and hit the apple and killed a man all in one shot. His son had been monitoring the procession and though he hadn't been more than an infant when Odysseus had left, he recognized his father's ability and fought with him to kill all of those who stood to take the throne.

Odysseus swung to kill the final man and once he was down, grabbed the bow and arrow and aimed it at Endymion but froze seeing the dark haired child with piercing blue eyes. "Aye, you are Greek, couldn't be anything else. But are you Athens?"

"Yes sir." Endymion answered. "I am the son of a man you went to war with."

"Achilles' son, then?" Odysseus questioned.

"That is correct."

"Ah, then you are the rightful heir to Thebes, promised to Achilles when he saved them from Troy." Odysseus lowed the bow and held out his hand. Endymion came closer and they grasped hands. "Good to have you here, son of Achilles. Have you a given name?"

"Endymion."

"Welcome, Prince Endymion." Odysseus' son greeted.

Odysseus turned to his son and embraced him. "How are you, and how is your mother?"

That had been the end of Endymion's travel and adventure with Odysseus, which brought him to Athens, but it had been the start of the rest of his story.


	4. Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

_He would not awaken ever again, never to react on the outside, but within his dream, it was as real as day._

Endymion awoke to the knock on his door and he swung his finely toned Adonis body out of the soft golden sheets. It had been twelve years since he'd first arrived on the shores of Greece proper and eleven since being named prince of Thebes. He was still an Athenian citizen in many rights, but he now ruled his own polis.

The slave girl entered the room, not looking at his naked form for a moment before raising her reddened hair from the sun to address her prince. "Your new tunic has arrived your majesty, and Odysseus would like to greet you in the hall, he's come to congratulate you on winning the spear throwing event at the Olympics this past summer."

"All right, tell him I'll be right there."

"Yes sire." She bowed low, before exiting the room, leaving a gold tunic in her place.

Endymion donned the tunic and met Odysseus in the great hall. "To what do I owe the pleasure, old friend?"

"Precisely what I told that sassy slave of yours. The gods will be at your door wishing for your services now."

"I hardly doubt that, for they are the ones that get all the credit in allowing me to learn how."

"You never know, a certain goddess has always been fond of you."

"I would assume you're talking about our shared patron goddess?" Endymion smiled, clasping Odysseus's arm in proper greeting. "She's always had a soft spot for me, yes, for I prayed directly to her."

"And what of other gods and goddesses?"

"They get prayers of late, but nothing directed."

"The way it should be!" Odysseus laughed. "I do have to warn you, I bring message of your council wishing you to marry and give them many heirs."

"I am but twenty, they have no desire, for I am still young and have plenty of time. I could marry a hundred women but have no time for them at the moment."

"You still hold out for that one?"

"I don't know of which one to which you speak."

"You'd gotten a faint misty impression when I first knew you about women, going off in a dream state, obviously remembering a woman who you were fond of. You are the king now; you can just send for her from the colony and have her arrive here, to be your wife, without a word of otherwise, how could she argue?"

"It isn't so easy, old friend, for I don't even know her face nor her true name."

"Ask Athena for you, she'll find you your girl."

"Athena is wise, as she is the goddess of wisdom and war, she should already know the name and face of the one I hold out for foolishly, but she shall not tell her or bring her to me, for she had no cause to, and I doubt she had the ability to either."

"You are making a mistake." Odysseus reckoned.

"For it is my mistake to make." Endymion responded in kind. "And you, how is your wife and son? Is he ready to take over yet?"

"Alexander has decided to wed a woman from Macedonia, Athena says his great-grandson shall be ruler of everything you can think of and see from the highest point in Athens, but it shall also be his downfall. Says he takes after your father more than you shall, but you are destined for a far greater greatness than politically or regionally." Odysseus shook his head. "What do you think that means?"

"Legends of heroes go up in the stars, like Hercules, a man you bravely fought with, like my father. Orion, the hunter and warrior has also gone up there. There shall be one for the great Odysseus as well."

"Do not sentence me to the stars just yet, that is for tragic heroes, and there is nothing tragic about me. Yet I was told my story would be just as strong as the heroes of the sky."

"It is Greek myths that get us by, maybe we're destined to be prose."

"Poetry carries more weight than facts alone, being prose wouldn't be so bad."

"I concur." Endymion stretched. "Now, shall we go eat? I've just woken up, and I'm sure you're hungry as well."

"Aye, that I am." Odysseus turned to be lead. "Tell me, what are you doing in bed so late?"

"Dreaming of a princess, dreaming of a princess." He repeated in wry amusement.

"A princess indeed!" Odysseus shouted. "Must be a goddess of one to keep you in bed still."

"One that I cannot see her face and yet I can hear her say my name over and over again."

"The best kind, take it from me. Faces get in the way unless you're in love."

"But I am."

"With a dream."

"With a dream." Endymion repeated.

"A dream princess."

"A dream princess."

"You are one lucky man, my son." For they were more like father, son than friends, but not completely for Odysseus had his own children to give his kingdom. And Endymion had his own to run, different from the man he used to worship but took into accounts of wisdom he'd encountered.

That night Athena showed up on his step, dressed as an old man, wanting some oil. Endymion's people gave her some, because that was the way he ran things, give to the needy and still keep the rich happy.

"Beware Endymion." She whispered as he walked by, and he turned his head and spotted her, seeing past all of her guise. Her words echoed in his head and he came nearer, bowed and escorted her inside.

"Beware of what, oh great Goddess?" He asked for her ears alone.

"The path you choose now will be the path you will forever encounter and cannot change." She warned.

"And what path would that be? I'm already king, and won a section of the Olympics, in your honor."

"I know, when that happened, I knew it was time to warn you of the change. You have caught the eyes of a couple of goddesses, one of which has been known to deceive people and if crossed, she gets angry and will exact retribution, but only if another goddess doesn't get to you first."

"It is my fate to marry one of these goddesses?"

"No." Athena shook her head gravely. "No mortal is allowed to marry a goddess. No mortal is allowed to look upon the face of one as he beds her. Just be weary of things that come in threes."

"Are you one?"

"Yes, I am the first, but it is my duty as your protector in which I've come."

"Even though I now am king of Thebes, thus named after Theibis, patron god of my city?"

"You always were and always will be my charge. Your father was one of my favorite warriors."

"I hardly knew my father."

"And yet you study his doctrines each night before going to bed."

"It is an honor to have a father as such and it is my honored duty to learn of his ways. I am proud to follow my duty." Endymion told the goddess.

"That is true." Athena agreed. "Your father would be proud of you."

"Thank you." Endymion grasped her hand and she only looked on it in slight disapproval. "Thank you for telling me that, and bestowing upon me the news that my trials aren't over yet, life would be boring without them."

"Just remember, Endymion, though many will read about this in years to come, they will not understand the importance you play or the importance of this Greek tale. Even you may not understand all of it, because you are too close to it and you will be hidden from the truth for so many years. I just hope, that one day, you will see the whole glory in which you played, the significance of it all. Which is grand."

"Will you understand it and be able to explain it to me when the time comes?"

"I will understand it, and I will explain it to you, but not when the time comes, I'm afraid, and not before. The goddess that will beseech you, is like a sister to me, closer than any blood relative, do not turn her away."

"I thought it was my choice."

"It is, but things will work out better if you let them."

"How do I know which one is which?"

"You will know, and it will be obvious."

"No fair warnings? No telling me what will happen? No telling of the future in certain terms?"

"Endymion, I am a goddess, I know what will happen as much as you do, but people don't always react in the way they are supposed to. And goddesses don't always want to follow tradition either."

"Will I be happy?"

"Inexplainably." With that, like she had in the past, disappeared, her cloak falling to the floor in a wave. She hadn't really answered any questions or given a definite reply. Endymion was more confused than he had been when he was six years old watching the fight against the Trojans.

EAN: There will be Selene, Endymion gatherings in the next chapter, I promise… I didn't mean to leave you hanging in confusion.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_So he slept, and she came to him every night when the moon was new without fail._

It had been a few years before any goddess approached him. He had been walking down the road that lead to the main city away from his palace. His guards were way up ahead or way behind, he didn't want to be sheltered and while people knew him, his face wasn't always recognizable right away unless he was being pandered to.

A child was on a bridge and she slipped and fell in, none of the guards made a move to help her. Endymion took off in a run to try and save the child and dove in, much to the dismay of his guards.

He pulled her out of the river and up onto the banks. "Are you all right miss?"

"I thank you for your kind help. Not every day a young man such as yourself would inconvenience themselves for a silly girl such as myself!"

"I do what I can to help. I would hate for it to be any of my sisters who fell in and nobody to help her out."

"Do you see your sisters?"

"Not for at least fifteen long years."

"Why do you not send for them? I bet you miss your mother." The young girl asked, sitting up. "You are now king of Thebes, surely you could provide better for her now than she does sitting at home tending to her daughters and sons in laws who work the fields with their slaves."

"How did you know all of that?"

"A kind deed does not go unrewarded." And before his eyes, she changed into a goddess, one he'd never truly seen before, just heard of. Her long brown hair fell in curls to her mid back and her jade green eyes stared at him in beckoning.

"I could not take the reward you are no doubt offering me, because all I did was pull a goddess out of the water when all she had to do was think and the water would have been somewhere else and she would have been perfectly fine."

"Good answer boy." She patted him on the shoulder. "It seems today, my husband is the only one who can have an affair with someone of nobility."

"I am sorry to hear that, queen of the gods."

"Call me Hera, queen sounds accurate when I want to strike fear into the hearts of those who oppose me, but you sir, have a good heart. It shall not go unrewarded."

"A reward again, dear goddess?"

"You're right, but one day you'll cash in for it and you'll receive it with blessing, King Endymion of Thebes."

"Thank you." Endymion sighed as yet another goddess appeared before him and disappeared. Hera wouldn't be back.

Several days later, Endymion was wondering if that was the goddess he was supposed to be with. The one he was to choose, because she had come first. Was the second Goddess really that terrible?

It was evening when he was in the gardens and a young girl with dark blond hair came up to him. "I am terribly sorry your majesty, but could I have a dance?" The moon was gone; there was no light besides the dim stars that managed to twinkle as if winking.

He looked through the darkness at her and saw she wore a nice golden tunic with a white boarder. "You come from Thebes but your loyalties lie in Athens?"

"No your majesty, my loyalty lays within you."

"How old are you?"

"In this form, eighteen."

"There are other forms?"

"Don't you? Life had an uncanny way of changing the way we see the world. So my body may be young, but my mind is old."

"Yet you are young, you are shy yet not shy, innocent yet not innocent."

"But I am mature and I know myself, my thoughts and what I want."

"Young but old, I am the same way."

"I know." She clapped her hands and string music started playing. "Shall we dance?"

"Of course." And that night he fell in love with a mortal woman.

They danced until the sun made it's slithering hold on the peaceful dark night. She tore herself from his arms and made to dash away into the grove.

"Wait!" He called. She paused and looked to him in a hurry. "When shall I see you again?"

"When the moon is new."

"Have a sweet night, old soul."

"And to you too, have a sweet daybreak, my King."

With those final parting words she disappeared into the growth and he couldn't find her when he changed his mind to chase her.

It was a full moon cycle before she came back, good on her word. Endymion had been heartsick with the days between them.

She found him in the same place as they had been before. This time however there would be no external music, but the ones in their hearts. She enfolded her hands over his eyes and whispered his name.

He grasped her hands and turned around to face her, kissing each finger in greeting. "Good new moon."

"And to you, my king."

"Please, call me Endymion."

"You may call me Serenity."

"Serenity." Endymion said, the name rolled off his tongue, her vivid blue eyes like shards of day lit sky shining in the night. "Where have you been keeping yourself these last few nights?"

"I am not allowed to tell you that." She responded, wishing not to speak of where's and why's, but rather of them. "I have missed you so however."

"As I have you with each passing minute of each hour, I have counted down the days, dear nymph."

She was again decked out in gold with a white trim. "I am afraid last time I left too late, our time will be shorter now."

"Then we shall make the most of it, dear Serenity."

"I had hoped you'd say such a thing." Serenity wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"What would you like to do with our time tonight?"

"Speak, we haven't done much of that so far."

"Of course, follow me." Endymion led her to a secluded area where they could just sit and talk in peace and comfort. And talk they did, all night long, Serenity had rested her head upon his shoulder when she realized what time of night it was and fled again, much as she had the first.

"Next new moon!" He called after her, and her reply came back on the wind.

And so he waited, again. This time, she didn't sneak up on him, but rather launched herself into his arms. He hugged her back. "I have missed you dearly!" She cried when he set her down on her feet.

"As I have you." Endymion brushed her hair back with his hand and cupped the back of her head so he could look closely at her. She was wearing the reverse tonight, a white outfit with gold trim. "How did you know my dear friend came to visit me from Athens and as such, I have felt a stronger loyalty towards them then I have recently?"

"I have my ways, but I am glad to hear that loyalty still stands to the polis Athens and the wise virgin goddess Athena."

"I thought Selene was to be the virgin goddess of the moon?"

"There is that, though Athena is to always be the virgin goddess, but the moon goddess is to be pure, virgin like in the sense, nothing mars her surface, but white, pure, you know? And while she is a virgin now, it won't always be that way."

"You know a lot about the goddesses of Greece."

"I make it my business to know, it is kind of my job."

"Isn't there three goddesses of the moon?"

"Selene, Artemis, and Luna, yes." Serenity paused for a puzzling moment before continuing. "Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Luna, goddess of purity and vitality. Selene, goddess of the moon and fertility. There are others, Hera, goddess of childbirth and the hearth, Persephone and her mother, spring and life, Hades, god of the underworld and death. Aphrodite, goddess of love and passion. They all cross over but essentially there are three goddesses of the moon, but only one is twin to Apollo, and that is Selene."

"Enough about gods and goddesses, let's talk about us."

"No talking." Serenity brushed aside his hands and grabbed his face and kissed him. "This is what I'd rather be doing."

And so eventually they made it up to Endymion's bed chambers and into his bed. She disappeared in the morning again.

EAN: So... you could just call me lazy, because I've had this chapter written for awhile, or it could be because I've been traveling/moving too much to find it until now.... I had always intended to update, then things got a little out of control... :)


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_For this was his reward, for this was her punishment._

Endymion woke and looked at the golden sheets next to him. It was empty and cold as usual, he didn't know why he thought that it would be different, the new moon wasn't upon him yet. And yet the last new moon she had come back for more of the previous one.

They didn't talk much anymore, their time too precious to waste on mere words. Being together was enough for both of them, and yet not enough.

This last night his dream became clear, instead of the usual silver hair down to her ankle, his dream princess had become more realistic life-size and her hair changed to a dark blond. Still unusual for a Greek but yet strangely fitting as she supported gold and white clothing instead of silver garbs. Instead of milky white skin, her tone became more olive and her eyes and her face became clear as the girl of the month became the girl of his dreams.

He missed her more than he'd realized, he'd grown to love her deeply and the next time he saw her, he knew what he'd ask. He just wasn't positive in how she would respond.

He got out of bed and donned a gold tunic with a red badge on it and he left his room to go meet with the king from Sparta. As he entered the great hall, the king from Sparta stood up and clasped his hand. He was wearing a red tunic with a gold badge holding it in place, as was customary for all royal diplomatic meetings.

"We wish to go to war." The king of Sparta said over dinner that night.

"Against whom?" Endymion queried.

"Persia."

"I wouldn't advise that. They haven't done anything to us, they only ask us to pay homage to the emperor."

"You choose not to go to war?" The Spartan king demanded.

It was against Spartan ideals to not fight, to not even think of it. Endymion however chose his battles well, Macedonia to the north and Sparta to the south was too quick to go to war sometimes.

"I haven't seen a reason to go yet. Athens is still holding out, saying it hadn't been their plan to be a subject, but rather to form an alliance but at the moment life is peaceful."

"I've just come from Athens, Odysseus thought it through and has agreed that to be the proud Greece that we are, we have to be our own region uninhabited by foreign powers that could impose their rules."

"I shall hold out on a decision until I have spoken myself to Odysseus, it is unlike him to change his mind on a matter like this so suddenly without telling me first and sending you in his steed." Endymion said, cautious of the lies he knew Spartans to weave.

The king of Sparta stood up suddenly, angered at Endymion's lack of confirmation that his men would be supported in his war against Persia. "It is a mistake not to act now!"

"The mistake brother, is to act now and make a fool of ourselves." Endymion reasoned but the Spartan King would have none of it and stormed out.

Endymion watched the cold man bend the corner and pause. Endymion followed slowly as the Spartan King lent over to pick something up, in dismay, Endymion saw his fair maiden being helped to her feet, clearly knocked over by the Spartan's rage as he existed.

She bestowed upon him a smile and Endymion watched the other king relax visibly. "I'm sorry, I was just coming around the bend to see if I could find the King." She nimbly bowed her head.

The Spartan king laughed. "For that, you have found him, for I am a King."

"A Spartan King, it seems." She teased as she looked upon his tunic. "Doing biddings with my lord."

"Your lord has denied the right choice in the matter of our peninsula's pride."

"Pride can sometimes be wasted on insignificant matters. As long as the demand is low, why should it matter what the price be?"

"Aye, but the few outweigh the many when they understand the true issue."

"Shouldn't it benefit everyone if the price is high?" She asked cautiously and never took her eyes off of the Spartan King though Endymion knew she saw him a little ways off.

"I suppose I could be tempted to wait a moment for the others to see clearly the logic I have, and acknowledge that it will benefit them." The Spartan king laughed and lent down and kissed Serenity on the cheek. "Farewell sweet soul." With that he departed but a little less dramatically then before.

"Hello Endymion." She said even though her back was to him, and when he turned around he could clearly see why the Spartan King melted so suddenly, for Serenity was wearing a gold tunic as she should, but had a red sash down the front and white on the edges like normal with a bit of green peaking through. It was bright, colorful and not the most beautiful tunic she'd ever worn, but in his eyes it was amazing because it symbolized for him what he could not put into words, the unity between Macedonia, Thebes, Athens and Sparta and all had to work together to make the image look beautiful.

"Do you know what the meeting was about today?" He asked as he pulled her into his arms.

"I have a vague idea, but please enlighten me onto the Spartan's wishes." Serenity wrapped her arms around his neck.

"He wishes my fleet into an alliance with his against the Persians."

"And what was your response?"

"That I'd have to think about it." He answered truthfully.

"Hm." She made a noise in response, not saying anything, just thinking.

"I do have something I'd wish to ask you however, please come with me." He did not lead her to his bedroom instead he brought her out to the gardens in which they'd first met. It was a curious thought that the moon should be hidden from view whenever he saw her, he felt like if she'd be bathed underneath its surreal glow she's be even more breathtaking.

"Endymion." She laughed. "Where are you taking me? And what is it you wanted to ask me? I've never known you to be so mysterious."

"Wait, patience my princess." He brought her underneath a beautiful oak tree and stood her there for a moment and clapped, the tree lit up with a thousand little candles suddenly and Endymion stood before Serenity. "I have loved you from the moment we first me, will you marry me?"

Serenity stood still, looking at him as if he'd gone completely mad and then slowly she shook her head in agreement. "I however cannot change my schedule; we must marry tonight, right now if we do at all. I must then leave and I will be back the next new moon."

He managed to find a binder in the middle of the night, no one would refuse the king even if they were dragged out of bed to do the ceremony. Serenity had disappeared, but he didn't doubt she'd be back. She came back with a man of her own and said he was also a binder of her small village within his polis. She said that in her village it was customary to have two binders perform the ceremony. Endymion agreed without an argument, it was a stronger bind to have two anyways.

The ceremony went off without any issues and after the sacrifice of a pig, there was hardly anytime for the two of them. Serenity wished him sweet goodnights and disappeared back into the bush with her binder and Endymion was standing there feeling a little neglected in the lack of his queen, but he respected her flight, it was a female unlike any he had ever encountered before.

That following new moon he was greeted with the site of his wife who looked at him innocently and even though they'd done it before, Endymion felt this union of their bodies and souls meant more than any of their previous ones.

She slept, as did he, not realizing the sun was rising and it rose high in the sky before either woke up and as he did so, he saw her hair but it was no longer golden but a crystal color. Before he could look upon her face she rolled out of bed and ran. He wanted to follow but he couldn't find her.

He instead was greeted by a goddess. "Athena, what are you doing here?"

She looked upon him sadly and shook her head. "I thought I made it clear that it would be a mistake to marry a goddess." She rested her hand on his shoulder and pushed him out of the way and back into the shadows of his palace. "Apollo has found his sister missing from her post this morning as they met in the sky."

"Apollo's sister?" He questioned dumbly. "Why would she be missing?"

"She is the moon goddess." Athena laughed at the young man, king long enough to lead his society into prosperity but not long enough to realize his consequences. "You have met and fallen in love with a goddess silly boy. It would have been fine if the two of you had not married. Now I fear you will suffer the wrath of the gods."

"Serenity?" He wished to confirm and Athena nodded.

"I had wondered where the third goddess was, but she is so sweet and innocent, how could she be the one you warned me against?"

"She is a goddess, Endymion, Selene has already borne a child for Zeus, or have you forgotten? But she is not the one I warned you against, it had been Hera I mentioned, which you chose well. I had not seen this however." Athena sighed sadly. "It is a shame that your story must end here."

"It will not!" Serenity shouted but Endymion couldn't see her face, only her long pale legs and white toga shimmering with gold. He felt love for her still, and pride that she still wore his country's colors, even though she was a goddess.

"Zeus will have your head if not his!" Athena rose to meet her niece and Endymion could only watch from below. "It was a stupid mistake Selene!"

"It was my mistake to make, now leave Athena before we draw more attention, I can still at least pretend I was asleep in the bay after a hunt."

Athena shook her head and disappeared, Selene hesitated before she too disappeared, no doubt up to the skies and back to her waiting chariot.

Endymion was left down below, out of sight of the angry sun god for loosing his sister's presence to start off his morning.

He already missed the presence of his wife and patron goddess. His wife was a goddess? He'd soon have to get his head around this concept, especially if Athena's warning held any merit.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_And by her, he sired a dozen children who became the months of the years._

Nothing happened for the next month. Endymion breathed a sigh of relief that he could not understand, even the conflict of Sparta and the Persians seemed to settle to a low simmer, allowing him to worry about other matters.

Like what would happen if the gods really did try and kill him.

A figure shimmered next to him and he jumped but relaxed when he realized it was Serenity, or rather Selene. She was in Serenity's form however.

"Why do you pretend to look like this?" He asked her, these were the first words out of his mouth. He did not prefer or like to be duped.

"I cannot be Selene in your presence for if you looked upon my face as a goddess, you'd be dead the moment you laid eyes on me."

"I have seen Athena's true face." He reminded her gently.

"You also did not make love with Athena." Serenity answered him solemnly. "I have however broken many rules to remain with you."

"You are a goddess, breaking rules is in your blood, nothing truly affects you, it is us mortals who suffer the consequences." Endymion stated bitterly, he'd seen it growing up at every turn the power the gods had to create destruction because they grew bored. "Do you even know how to love or feel sorry for what you have destroyed based on a whim?"

She looked at him and slowly lowered her eyes. "I am sorry Endymion for all that I have caused you. I never wished you to doubt my sincerity. I also never meant for you to come to harm based on my actions. I did not think it through."

"Can you love?" He was suddenly incensed with this question and needed its answer.

"Not in the way you humans love." She answered truthfully. "In fact that is why us gods play so much, desiring the completion you get from sharing your life with one other, for us gods don't die and cannot feel as deeply as you, for we hold no consequences for our actions. Even if we are as pitiful as Echo, we still find other ways of passing the time."

"Do not feel sorry for Echo; is that what you are saying? Because she has other ways of divining entertainment despite the fact she's destined to forever repeat what people are saying when they walk through the cave she is tied to?"

"She's not stuck there permanently; she moves around and manages to play mischief on the gods despite it. She also isn't forced to repeat exactly what people are saying, just to respond back with something sounding a little similar to what a person says. She and I have conversations that way."

"Do you love me?" He asked, ignoring the Echo analogy.

"Yes, in my own way I do." She answered, again truthfully.

"Then why accept a marriage proposal you knew would only end in issues between the two of us?"

Serenity looked away and he knew whatever she was about to say would not be the truth but it would be as close as he was going to get from her. "I didn't want you pushing the issue again if I denied you the first time."

He shook his head and then changed the subject. "So what happens now?"

"Now, I go and petition to Zeus, to spare your life." She looked up when Endymion put a hand to her chin and tilted her head towards him.

He looked down into those bright day-light eyes and leant his head in to kiss her. When he finally pulled away he asked on a breath. "Did you not wonder if I loved you or not?"

"I had my doubts." She agreed. "What is your answer to your own question?"

"I love you and my life is in your hands to do with as you wish. You are now my wife, mind body and soul, despite the fact that you are a goddess."

"I am glad because no matter what happens with Zeus tonight, there will be consequences, but I will try to avoid all of the usual pitfalls."

"I hope you do." He laughed and kissed her again. "Why are you here if you have an audience with the father of your child?"

"Because I needed to see you, I missed you, and I wished to tell you the truth from my own lips. I also needed the answer you just gave me to my own question."

"Which one was that?"

She smiled mischievously and responded. "If I could have your life in my hands to do with as I wished."

"Nymph." He laughed and he was cut off by a kiss of hers, one that might have delayed her longer if she didn't have enough willpower to pull away and disappear without a further word.

"It might not have been smart to let her have complete control over your life; you've just given up anything you could claim." A voice reached his ears and he turned to see Hera.

"I didn't think you would come visit me or care about me if I didn't call upon your audience." Endymion stated dryly.

The green eyed woman laughed. "Oh, do not worry; I am not here on a personal matter."

"To gods, all matters are personal, despite how bored so quickly they get with the matter."

"Touché, Athena taught you well. I had always wondered how you knew the right things to say when you found out I was a goddess."

"I figured the right one wouldn't reveal herself so suddenly to me." Endymion responded and after saying it, he realized how much of an idiot he was for not suspecting Serenity of being a goddess, so many clues should have led him to the right conclusion.

"I am here to warn you myself, my husband is growing tired of the liaison between you and Selene he might not take well to Selene's plight, especially after her brother complains about you in the first place. Apollo always was a favorite of Zeus."

"As is Selene." Endymion wasn't about to be worried over his fate, Serenity would ensure he wasn't set on a rock and have his liver torn out by vultures every morning.

"Yes, she is, which is why I did not kill her after having an affair with my husband."

"She is a goddess, she cannot die."

"She can, if given the right motivation to do so."

"You gods are too few in numbers and reproduce slowly; killing one of your own full gods would be a huge percentage of your population, especially a female who can bare children."

"You are too educated on the ways of gods for your own good; it will be partially your downfall, thinking you can outsmart a god."

"I know I can't and I would never challenge a god to it."

"I have come to see if you have thought up a reward yet, but perhaps its to soon to receive an answer, you aren't on the dying end of a stick yet."

"I will have a reward I want soon enough, I'm sure, but at this moment in time it is too soon to tell, and I have faith in Serenity's capabilities."

Hera titled her head up as if hearing an answer on the breeze and then she smiled. "I wouldn't be too sure of that my young king, for Zeus has made his decree."

Endymion nodded and Hera took the answer as it was given and left without uttering what his fate would be. Endymion took a walk along the road to the river and walked along that until he came to a brush clearing and he sank down to enjoy the calm action the waves gave him.

A person materialized beside him and he looked up to the sad face of Serenity. "The stupid man tricked yet another god." She stated and he reached out a hand, but she only kissed the back of it and let it go. "I have only moments to speak before it is put into action."

"Am I to die or suffer a thousand painful deaths?" He asked not really caring what the answer was, Serenity had come back to see him one last time.

She shook her head. "It is not your punishment, but mine. You will live eternally, and you will not age a day in this eternity for as long as I continue to visit you when the moon is new. However I will never be able to visit you in this form again, and as such you will never be able to gaze upon my face for it will be a thousand times worse. Zeus has declared you to sleep forever, to feel my touch but unable to react to it, I will never know yours again."

"This is the fate I am destined to?"

"And me as well."

"Will you grow tired of me and abandon me, letting me sleep here until I grow old and die without knowing it?"

"I vow to you, I will visit every new moon just as I have, and I will find a way to reverse this cruel joke Zeus has put on us. For as long as I live, so shall you as long as I continue to visit you every new moon."

"Then know this, even though I cannot react to your touch, I am enjoying it and never want to go a day without feeling you or loosing your touch. I will touch you with as much love as I do now the day I awaken, if I ever awaken."

Serenity leant over and kissed him. "I promise you, you will awaken." Endymion's eyes grew heavy and Serenity screamed in frustration, it wasn't supposed to take place upon this meeting, that he fell into his eternal sleep. She wanted so much more time with him before he was taken away from her forever, even though she still had him in physical presence.

Her form changed without her aiding it and Selene looked down at her sleeping husband. It was a shame this was her punishment, it was such a one sided love now. But she would honor her oath, for she was one of the only goddesses who didn't get easily bored and move on to other conquests.

She kissed him again and then joined her brother on their chariot race; one following the other, the only time they met was when day met night or night streamed into day. Her moon could be seen high in the sky some days during the light and some days his sun was hidden by Nyx seeking out Gaia. However every noon moon she joined with her husband and over twelve hundred years she gave birth to twelve children.

Throughout these years his kingdom rose and fell due to bad government, he missed the downfall of the Greeks; he didn't see Macedonia succeed only to perish like his own kingdom. He didn't see Rome conquer the entire known world or see Columbus sail the seven seas.

All he knew was the feeling of the warm woman he had grown to love and felt her presence every 28 days. He did not know the passage of time, just knew that every time she came it had to be another 28 days. However even those visits seemed to pass in a blur and one morphed into another. He could hear her voice through his cloudy brain and enter into his dreams of the creamy pale skinned goddess he had loved at a young age morph with the girl he had met and fallen in love with on the eve of his 22nd birth year.

The smell invaded his nostrils every time a strange mix of dirt and peaches and warmth. He had never felt more completed on these nights nor had he ever felt so desolate.

He wanted to take her into his arms and pleasure her as she did him, to take control of the actions that went on between the two of them.

The gods had begun to take a back seat to the happenings of the world, being forced there more than choosing to. They still sparked a war every once in a while, but it was not as simple as in the past. The humans had neglected them and decided they were more made up creations than actual gods and decided to follow one deity. War now was based on more material goods than the love of a woman or revenge. The ability man learned to create and be self-sufficient also attested to how limiting the gods had become. So with that, they had become even more bored and relentless.

They stirred the growth, but Serenity forever protected her love and his bed of roses. The canopy held all the secrets of the world, and yet despite all these new conquests and boredoms, she continued to visit her love.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_A millennia passed, and a change was in the wind._

It was as Selene was getting ready to depart on one of these visits that a very bored Hera visited her friend and niece. It had been such a long time since the day they last interacted with each other. It had been the day both of them found out Hercules had slept with each of Selene's twelve daughters, him being on the last.

It wasn't long before Hercules was poisoned by his second wife by accident, and being put into a constellation. At the gates of Olympia now instead, Hercules sat with his Goddess Hebe. Hercules, Selene knew was a demi-god to begin with and so their union wasn't fated to fall apart. But Selene knew that in matters of the heart, it couldn't be denied and to do so only caused more havoc than anything else.

Selene wasn't growing bored with her visits to Endymion, it was the only thing she had to do now that the humans landed on her fair moon and claimed that life did not exist outside of their small insignificant world. Her visits to Endymion had in fact, become tradition and habit. She did not know what to do instead, nor did she desire anything else. She had forgotten what a warm embrace felt like.

Hera's visit though was unwelcome as it delayed her visiting her husband.

"You know he has a wish that I can bestow, don't you?"

That caused Selene to pause and look over her trouble making aunt. "Why would you tell me this now after a millennium of being without him?"

"Because I've grown tired with the wait."

"I doubt you can do anything to alter his fate." Selene's true body wasn't that of a girl, wasn't a girl at all, but a young woman fully developed, the perfect match to Endymion.

"He can wish to no longer sleep forever, to live the rest of his life like a normal being."

"What would that change? We would no longer be together; I cannot visit him in any other form now that your husband has revoked it."

"Silly girl, Zeus can only punish humans who have done horrors to his linage, or gods." Hera laughed and disappeared.

Selene went to visit Endymion, but her thoughts were elsewhere as she told him about her day, knowing he couldn't hear it, could only feel her touch, but what Hera said echoed in her head throughout the night. The next daylight, Selene visited Athena to see what else she could learn.

Within the next month, Selene decided what she was going to do. She visited Endymion again and whispered in his ear, praying he could hear it, that it'd enter into his dream somehow. "I need you to wish to be normal, to return to your human state without sleeping forever, but as a regular human, and that we can be together."

Endymion heard the whisper echo in his head and he called upon Hera. The beautiful goddess appeared before him, sitting on his throne, even if it was in his dream, she knew exactly what buttons to push. "Ah, what can I do for you?" She asked with a smile.

"I want to be normal again, to not sleep forever but to return to my human state and I want Serenity and I to be able to be together."

"Serenity isn't a person." Hera pointed out.

"Selene then, they are one and the same in my eyes."

"Granted." Hera closed her eyes and when she opened them again they were red, but already Endymion's dream world was fading.

He opened his eyes and was surprised to see a plain looking girl in front of him, cute yes, she had blond hair and blue eyes with the same mischievousness Serenity had all along, the look that inside was so much older than the outside. "Who are you?" He asked cautiously, thinking he already knew the answer.

"Serenity." She smiled, and then laughed. "I suppose it would be more in keeping this day and age to call me Serena."

"What happened to you?"

"I am well and truly mortal now." Serena smiled again. "I asked Zeus to take away my immortality if you ever awoke to be a normal human again. Hera carried through on her behalf, as Zeus did on mine."

"Why would you wish to be mortal?" Endymion asked concerned.

"To live an eternity without you, dead or alive but not being to even see you?" Serena asked wryly. "It is not a life I would wish on anyone else." She gasped and looked at him. "So this is what this emotion is that you feel? It's very powerful."

"It is." He couldn't hold back his emotions anymore and swept her into his arms and pulled her close. "I love you."

"And I love you!" Serena laughed and soaked in the feel of his lips against hers. How she missed his passion.

The child she conceived tonight would never be a goddess, would never be a month of the year, but did complete the baker's dozen. This one however was special because it was created in the passion of the two individuals.

Together they ventured out into this world that neither truly understood and made a life together.

Years later as their son played ball with a neighbor girl, Hera came to visit them. "Why Hera, did you do this for us?" Serena asked as Darien walked over to greet the goddess as well.

"A millennium ago I was outsmarted by a mortal, and that mortal deserved more than just the one wish I could grant him, he deserved a lifetime of happiness with the woman he loved. If it happened to be a goddess who could not be looked upon without certain death, then I would help make it happen. Look however at the son you gained from it."

Hera's eyes trained on the boy who looked like a great mix between his parents, his eyes shown with the color of the bright daylight, though his mothers were now a pale blue, some of her blood line remained and flowed within him. It came out at the oddest moments but his black haired head would always perk up and smile warmly at his mother, knowing without knowing, how much his mother sacrificed for him.

Darien wrapped an arm around Serena's waist, both taking on normal names in this time period to fit in better. "Thank you Hera, I wasn't sure you were to be trusted ever after all the stories there are of you."

"Oh, I'm not to be trusted whatsoever, I only do what pleases me. Athena on the other hand has always protected you and this one has always fancied you, ever since you were a child and your eyes penetrated the clouds she was returning to after that one battle of Troy. I had sought you out for my own pleasures by you denied me then." Hera laughed. "I got my revenge in the end."

"You also gave us some of the best rewards." Darien stated, unconcerned, it'd been a few years since he'd woken up, but a few years in this body and at this pace seemed like an eternity one should treasure, Serena had agreed with him on this point. She wore a gold, silver and white bracelet around her wrist to honor the time they no longer knew and missed and met in. It had been an easy adaptation for Serena into the lifestyle and mentality of mortals though sometimes she still questioned the reasons why people did some things especially when the gods weren't involved.

"Athena promised didn't she, that she'd explain your legend?" Hera rose an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Hera smiled and left. Serena looked to Darien. "You need Athena to explain the importance of your own legend?"

"Yes." Darien laughed at the look that over came her face. "It doesn't make since to me why this legend is any importance."

"It's because it's a legend of love conquering all. It isn't the most common or eventful, but it's importance lies in the fact that you received the love of a goddess and you never lost it, it in itself is a feat. You outwitted another goddess twice, you had the protection of a third, and you had Zeus relenting on a previous ruling and managing to get everything in the end. You also lived as an immortal until you turned it down. This legend is full of importance." Athena laughed.

They turned to the second goddess of the night and Serena wondered if perhaps there's be a third, she knew well to be weary of things that came in three.

"I am the last." Athena promised when she caught Serena's gaze. "Your daughters miss you and wished to visit, but they won't. Zeus is a little annoyed he'd been tricked into letting you go. He made that deal with you, thinking that Endymion would never awaken. I see young king, you are faring well. Do you wish to rule another kingdom? You were vital to Odysseus and your country prospered under you."

"I have my own kingdom that I built myself right here, thank you." Darien answered. "This one couldn't have been any better if the gods-"

Serena slipped a hand over his mouth. "We thank the gods for everything we have and blessed be them." Serena laughed. "If any of my friends now knew I was praying to the Greek gods they'd think I'm loony because nobody prays to those gods anymore. There are other ones which are newer but not, in other cultures but not here… How have you been Athena? Is Aphrodite and Ares still fighting or did they finally make up? I have lost track of all time down here."

"They have made up, your absence is well noted among our kind Selene, I only wish the two of you could both be immortal and take your throne back."

"I have finished with that kind of life, my place is down here now. There are plenty of goddesses fit for my old job, I have lived forever and I now choose to face the river Styx when my time comes and Endymion will be right beside me."

"I hear your names are now Darien and Serena Shields." Athena laughed. "Still paying homage to your favorite goddess?"

"The protector of the boy who grew to be my husband and the benefactor of his kingdom, cannot easily be forgotten." Serena leaned in to Athena and whispered the last part to her ears alone. "Also my favorite aunt."

Athena nodded and winked at Darien when he wished to know what they were discussing but she said no more on that subject. "I hope it has become clear to you why your story was so important Darien, why it was so important that you survived and it was told through the generations before this one and the addition will be added for all the future ones."

"It has, thank you great goddess for lending me a hand to do as I had pleased, for you knew, didn't you that I fell in love with Selene the day my father died, didn't you?"

"I did." Athena smiled. "I know its Aphrodite's position, but I had to see to your union. Selene was one of my favorite nieces and she and Apollo were the best surrogate children a woman could ask for, and they became great gods."

"And a great wife." Darien agreed.

"And mother." Serenity teased but nobody disagreed with her statement for they agreed.

"Take care of each other and your son." Athena told them and disappeared into the wind.

They would take care of each other for another eighty years and then they died one fateful night out under the moon and along the shore. Nobody could say exactly what they died of, but it had been peaceful if their smiles was anything to go by. Their son had become a political leader just like his father before him and they'd seen several grandchildren before their deaths.

Their forms rose to the sky and Endymion's body became the man in the moon as Selene returned to her rightful home, embracing her husband forever. Selene was the fateful rabbit of the moon, her thirteen children held prayers for her and their father every new moon, honoring their history and hoping someday they would share in a love just like theirs.

**MY POEM**

_**Endymion**_

_And so he slept, never knowing the face of the goddess who bestowed upon him at night._

_But yet he saw her clearly in his dreams, her shape, her form, her touch, her feel, and her love._

_He would live forever beside her, for as long as she lived, but she could not die._

_He would not awaken ever again, never to react on the outside, but within his dream, it was as real as day._

_So he slept, and she came to him every night when the moon was new without fail._

_For this was his reward, for this was her punishment._

_And by her he sired a dozen children who became the months of the years._

_A millennia passed, and a change was in the wind._


End file.
